"A cat in the bag" is an expression, a Dutch expression. It means you bought or get something that isn't good, a disappointment. I can only guess about why a cat in a bag. Cats in bags was a way to kill them, cats I mean. First, the cats (kittens) go in a bag, next they are drowned. If a cat tries to go in a bag itself it isn't a bad sign. Cats love to curl up in tiny places and bags seem to be comfortable enough. At the moment the basket isn't the favourite spot to be. Can be because it's too warm although that doesn't seem to bother the cats since a place in the sun is still preferable just a human's lap is too warm.
There are two kittens.
Both are from the same lady. For weeks we fought fleas and if you truly believe your cat from the street hasn't any you are wrong. Those flea fighting collars are expensive and do nothing. It is a waste of money.
I saw fleas and tried to remove them but fleas are fast. Big fleas is a bad sign. They lay eggs and after a week you have at least 150 if not 350 eggs... Eggs that will be fleas too and do the same. You can vacuum, no, you should keep vacuuming even long after all fleas are dead. It is the only way to keep rid of the eggs and fleas born. Fleas are plagues and although they can't live on humans they will bite you (testing) if there are no other pets around. So something stronger is needed than the smell of geranium and lavender mixed with cinnamon or some other spice and herb. Fleas, ticks, mosquitoes or ants cannot be destroyed with lemons and garlic. A line with chalk doesn't do the trick either. These days they are immune against mother nature her herbals and worse immune against insecticides and pesticides.
Pesticides and insecticides are dangerous because no matter if they are effective or not we get this poison in our bodies. We breathe it in, we eat it with the food we eat (vegetables and fruits) and what counts for us counts for plants and animals too. All this poison is in the air, the soil and water. The more plants are bred in environments where they do not belong, the more animals are imported, the more people travel and countries import, the more danger we bring to our nature: plants, insects, animals whose habitat is elsewhere come without their natural enemy.
Rabbits were brought to Europe by Columbus. They are a plague. Ticks are dangerous and a plague they have no enemy here. In some other countries they might but not here. The list of plagues is getting longer and longer year after year and so are the life dangerous illnesses we deal with. There are ways to fight them in a natural way but if governments are not willing to use those methods the plagues will only increase (and so will the intake of poison by plants, animals and humans).
If you bathe your cat it can kill fleas but... a flea doesn't drown easy and you have to put the cat's head underneath water too. Not for a few seconds but longer. If you don't do that the fleas will flee to the head. It will be hard to keep a cat underneath water and if you truly believe it won't fight back you are wrong. Being scratched by a cat is no fun. A shower can be a better option. Once the hair is wet it's easier to see fleas although this depends on the colour of the fur too. With some luck, you can pick the fleas out but you have to be fast and might need a second pair of hands.
Kazimir is the eldest kitten.
A part of his fur is white. Can be it is a coincidence but I start thinking he is more vulnerable. Fleas are noticed on him earlier and he is the only cat I ever heard sneezing. Do allergies cause this?
As he arrived his ears were really dirty and he still has one tearing eye, the left one. Cleaning it doesn't help after all those weeks. The eye still has the dirty spot in the corner.
To be cleaned, washed is not what cats like every hour especially not if it comes to kittens. They like to eat, play and sleep.
There are all sorts of reasons I can think of why Kazimir isn't that healthy although he grows, is active and very sweet. It can be because he is a male or because all cats at that lady's place are related or certain colours do come with certain gens and vulnerabilities.
If I look at Kazimir he hasn't changed much.
He grows, plays, eats and still follows me if he has the chance but... he has eye trouble. No, I don't mean bad eyesight because he sees flies and plays with tiny things but since a week the nictitating membranes partly close over his eyes. The first time I noticed it was as he was on my lap stamping (kneading) his front paws and purring. He always starts with that before he falls asleep.
Cats do not only purr if they are happy but it is away to calm down themselves too. A cat in labour purrs.
At first, the nictitating membranes were only shown as he was on my lap. Not while walking and playing by now which is the case by now too and his right eye (not the one that has a dirt spot in the corner) shows smaller. It's hard to tell if he is in pain but I start believing he doesn't feel well.
They say if the nictitating membranes show the cat doesn't feel well.
It's hard to tell what bothers him. He is playful and eats well although I find it a bit weird his intestines (those of both kittens) aren't used to the kitten food after all those weeks and they fart while walking around/playing.
Nervous cat?
It's hard to tell although it does look like it. Kazimir acts differently if only one person is at home and he seems to like rules, a scheduled life. With more than one person at home he feels the need to follow everyone, to sit on each lap and somehow it confuses him. He never stays long. As soon as one of us stands up he does too and follows. It must be exhausting to escort everyone and check out everything.
But what has this all has to do with fleas?
Since the bathing and flea-fighting-collars didn't do their job and Kazimir lives inside I used Frontline.
Frontline fights fleas on cats and dogs and ticks on dogs (out of own experience I can tell you it works well on ferrets too if it comes to fleas and ticks).
Spraying a cat can be a challenge they don't like the sound so extra hands were needed. I saw the fleas flee to his head. One sat at the top of his ear (flea in need) while others were circling around his eyes or went into his ears. It was the first time I saw this happen on any animal. So many fleas which I never saw as I checked him.
Although I used Frontline on many animals for years (dogs, cats, ferrets, skunks) I keep thinking the eye trouble... Kazimir's "not feeling well" can be caused by Frontline. The other kitten Poppy (not growing much and still very little) seems to be fine after the Frontline treatment but that proves nothing. Side-effects do not show or as strong with everyone and some only on long term, at that time we no longer count on it or remember what caused the issue.
Since my daily life is more hectic at this time (Summer vacation) with children at home, repairments and a different lifestyle I decided to (next to cleaning eyes/eyedrops) to let him be and give him more rest. More sleeping time in a cage (bench) away from us, his pack. I think it does him good (food inside there, no complaining) and hope his eyes/condition will get better. I hope he will feel better an live with changes and not turns out to be the next 'cat in the bag'. That would be so sad because he is a great cat and my child is so happy with him.
Poor kitty, please get well soon.